Buckle



June 3, 1952 P. w. WHITE 2,599,031

BUCKLE Filed June 27, 1951 IN VEN TOR.

Paul W W/zz'ta %(M,WMM/ 7/ /40 az iol'rzeys Patented June 3, 1952 BUCKLE Paul W. White, New Haven, Conn., assignor to Parva Products Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application June 27, 1951, Serial No. 233,763

7 Claims. (Cl. 24--194) This invention relates to shoe buckles, more particularly to slide type shoe buckles adapted to be mounted on shoe straps, and the invention has for an object the provision of a slide type shoe buckle which may be readily stamped from sheet metal and is of relatively small size but of sturdy construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is effective to clamp firmly or release readily a shoe strap.

The invention while applicable generally to slide buckles of the type disclosed in prior Patents No. 2,361,895, issued October 31, 1944, and No. 2,334,462, issued November 16, 1943, to Paul W. White, and No. 2,549,735, issued April 17, 1951, to

Paul W. White and Joseph J. Schutz, is adapted and particularly designed for use as a shoe buckle. While slide buckles of the above type are generally suitable for their intended purpose, it has been found in many instances that the threads, which are conventionally used to secure the frame of a shoe buckle to one end of a supporting strap, are, upon continued use, out by'the end of the buckle slide as the buckle is opened and closed repeatedly with the result that the buckle frame is eventually severed from the strap end. Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved shoe buckle that presents a neat and highly attractive appearance, that may be easily formed from sheet metal by a simple stamping operation, that may be quickly and economically assembled and is sturdy and reliable, and wherein the buckle slide is positively prevented from damaging the threads used to secure the buckle frame to one end of a strap.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shoe buckle which obviates the necessityof perforating-the shoe strap as is required when prong type buckles are employed. V

According to one aspect of the invention a slide buckle is provided comprising a frame and a slide forcooperati'on with the frame, the frame and slide having side-bars and cross-bars defining strap receiving openings therethrough to receive a strap. The frame is provided with inwardly extending slide supporting shoulders, or runners,-extending along the frame side-bars and one of the frame cross-bars adjacent one end of the shoulders is provided-with a depressed-strap attaching portion. The buckle slide is provided with offset projections, or ears, extending up-- Wardly and rearwardly from one end of the slide side-bars to engage the end portions of the strap attaching cross-bar at points other than the depressed portion thereof, thereby to retain the slide within the frame for sliding movement along the shoulders. Another of the slide cross-bars is provided with a strap engaging portion extending upwardly out of the main plane of the slide for cooperation. with another of the frame cross- The buckle slide is provided with a pull-up cross-f 2 bars to clamp in adjusted position ,a strap threaded through the strap receiving openings,

bar to effect movement of the slide to the clamp ing position, the pull-up bar having a portion extending out of the plane of the' slide in the same direction as the strap engaging portion of said clamping cross-bar to prevent the insertion of the strap between the pull-up bar and the buckle frame.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should now be had .to the draW-' ings, in which: 1 Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a buckle fra e adapted for use in buckles embodying the present invention; v Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the frame shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a slide adapted for cooperation with the frame shown in Figs. 1

and 2; Fig. 4 is a left-hand end view of the slide of Fig.3; M Fig. 5 is a right-hand end view of the slide of Fig. 3; v

Fig. 6 is a side viewof the slide of- Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showin the frame and slide in assembled position with'ai along the lines be conveniently and economically formed bya' simple stamping operation, and a sheet metal slide I I (Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6) which may be. formed by a similar stamping operation and which is adapted to cooperate with the frame It]. As shown, the frame l0 comprises a pair of side-bars l2 and I3 and a pair of cross-bars l4 and [5, .the cross-bars l4 and I5 and the side-bars l2 and I3 forming a suitable strap receiving opening I! through which a strap may be threaded. As shown in the drawing, the frame I0 is provided with a suitable extension comprising. the sidebar,

extensions l8 and I9 which are inclined upward; ly from the main plane of the frame, and an end cross-bar l6 which may be employed asai'strap hold-down as best shown in Fig. 8. With' the sidebar extensions I8 and I9 inclined upwardly sufiicient space is provided to permit thegins'er tion of the strap under the hold-down'bar "I6- when the buckle is worn on theside of the shoe.

In this connection it will be understood that if the buckle is worn on the front of the shoe the sidebar extensions l8 and [9 may be substantially co-planarwith the'main plane of the frame Ill since the curvature of the ankle gives sufficient additional space to permit insertion of the strap wardly extending lip portions 22 and 23 which extend along the side-bars I2 and I3 and rearwardly of the face of the buckle to provide slide supporting runners or shoulders. The forward cIOS .-bar 14' of the. frame I is generally inclined W1 ..,'1;csp.ect to the plane of the shoulders 22 and 2 3, as shown best in Fig 7, and the cross-bar l4 isjprovided with a curved upwardly extending tongue p r o t 'l'he strap attaching bar l of the frame I 0 comprises an intermediateportion 26 which is depressed relative to the upper face, of the buckle. and the side portions 2'! and 28, which are inclined upwardly and connect. the intermediate portion 26 with the upper face of the frame [0. As shown best in Fig. 9, the intermediate. portion 26 of the, cross-bar I5 is depressed 'suffieientlyto position the bottom surface of this portion in substantially the'same plane as the, upper. surfaceof the slide supporting shoulders 22 and 23. The portion 26 is provided with a forwardly projecting nub 29, for preventing unequal dis ribution of thread along the portion 25. as. will appear more fully hereinafter. Referring now to Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, theslide H comprises a pair of cross-bars 3B and 3| which; areoonnected by suitable side-bars 32 and 33 to define a strap receiving opening 34. The crossbar 3| is deformedslightly upwardly, as shown bestin Fig. 4, to position this bar slightly abovemediate portion 36 which is deformed down-.

wardly from the main, plane of the slide H and is provided with the upwardly extending. portion 31 formed Centrally thereof. Theside-bars 32 and 33. a e dispose i edgewise rel on ending out of the plane of the slideto-form upwardly extending. slide runners.

order-to provide a stop forthe slide Ii, suitable. extensionsare provided comprising the ljeaijwardly extending side-bar portions 40 and llnand the inner edges of the side-bar extensions and, are. turned upwardly to provide ear portions 42 and 43' which are offset inwardly relative to the slide runners 32 and 33 and: proieet. upwardly to engage the inclined portions IL-and 28. of thestrap attaching. bar I 5 as shown QQSURFE- ;In order to assemble the slide; ll in the. frame UL the slide II is insertedinto the frame In and 4 of the parts in the present buckle an improved operation is obtained. The strap receiving openings 34 and IT in the slideand frame respectively are in, alignment to permit threading of a strap therethrough as shown in Fig. 7 and the cross-bars 30 and 3i, respectively, constitute the pull-up bar and the clamping bar of the buckle. The upwardly extending portion 35 on the crossbar 3| in cooperation with the inclined cross-bar l4 ofrthe; frame serves to clamp the strap in adjusted positions in the buckle whenever tension is applied. 7

In Figs. 7 and 8 the buckle is shown in connection with astrap comprising an attaching portion 50 which is suitably secured to the depressed portion 26 of the strap attaching crossbar of the buckle frame by the threads 5|. The free end portion 520i the strap is adapted to be threaded through and adjustably clamped in the. buckle. In. Fig. l thebuckle is. shown with the. frame I0 and slide II in threading position with the free end 52 extending through the strap receiving apertures 34 and ll. When tension is applied to the strap engagement of the strap portion 52 with the pull-up cross-bar 38 on the slide will cause theslide to move in a ri ht. hand direction from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig, 8, in which position the strap is firmly clamped between the upstanding portion 35 of the cross-bar 3! on the slide II and the curved generally inclined surface formed by the forward. cross-bar l4 and upwardly extending lip, of the frame lil.

Thereafter the, loose end of the strap portion 52 may be inserted beneaththe hold-down bar l6 as shown. in Fig. 8.

It willbe noted that the. strap engaging portion is so. correlated in height and location relative to the clamping portion of .thecross-bar M as to provide a pressure angle of approximate.- ly degrees. As described. in prior Patent No. 2,549,735, issued April 17, 1951, to Paul W.White, a pressure angle in the neighborhood of 45 degrees, permits satisfactory operation of the buckle to effect slip-free clamping of the strap while permitting ready release thereof. It willfurther be, noted that by extending the runners 3,2 and 33 of the slide ll, upwardly from the general plane of the slide, the width of the slide is substantially reduced while permitting the proper spacing of thestrap engaging portion 35- relative to the frame clamping bar I4 to. provide the above described pressure angle. In this connection it i will be understood that the tongue portion 25 the slidesupporting shoulders orrunners 22 and are thereafter deformed inwardly to the positipnsh ownin Fig. 2, thereby permanently retaining the slide l'l within the frame it as clearlyshewn in Fig. 9. of the drawing. a

Qncethe slide; and frame have been assembled the. operation of the buckle thereby pro-- duped in general similarto the operation setv $0.1 inthe above. r fe red. to prior patents .lout byereas n. of thecorrelation and proportioning is extended upwardly in the manner shown in order to. increase the. clamping surface available, 7

by the portions. 25 and '35; would be obtained which would not provide satisfactory clamping of; the strap. Furthermore, if the. strap is clamped between'the. extremities of the portions 2.5 and 3.5. the strap. will bulge outwardlyabove the buckle and; produce an unsightly protuber ance. which has a tendency to. catch on surroundingi-objectszandipull the buckle loose.

1 Whenever it is desired to release the strap from the buckle it is necessary to exert only a slight pull onthe free end of the strap in a left hand direction as viewed in Fig. 8, thus to cause the slide II tomovetowards the threading or releasingposition shown in Fig. 7. 7

As shown best in Figs. 9 and 10, the threads 5 I, which are used to secure the strap attaching portion 26 of the frame III to the strap end 50, arev positioned between the separating nub 29 on the portion 26 and the upwardly inclined end'portions 21 and 28 thereof. With this arrangement the thread remains distributed along the length of the strap attaching portion 26 andcannot'bunch' up at one corner thereof so that the buckle frame does not become loose or twist out of position. Furthermore, the buckle is prevented from moving transversely of the strapend 50 by the nub 29 so that the threads 5| cannot ride upwardly onto the inclined end portions 21 and 28. Since the offset ear portions 42 and 43 are the only parts of the slide I I which strike the frame crossbar l5 and these ear portions engage only the inclined end portions 21 and 28 thereof, theslide isvpositively prevented from striking and cutting the threads 5| as the buckle is opened and closed in use.

It will be observed that the upwardly extending portion 31 of the slide cross-bar 30 has the effect of preventing the insertion of the free end of the strap 52 between the frame cross-bar I4 and the cross-bar 30 of the slide II. By reason of this construction there is very little possibility of threading the free end of the strap into the buckle incorrectly since it can be readily inserted only through the strap receiving openings 24 and I1. While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made'and it is, therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Whatis claimed as new and. desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A slide buckle comprising, a frame, a slide for cooperation with said frame, said frame and said slide having side-bars and cross-bars defining strap receiving openings therethrough to receive a strap, said frame side-bars comprising side walls extending rearwardly of the face of said frame and inwardly turned slide supporting shoulders extending therealong, one of said'frame cross-bars having'a depressed central portion for attaching said frame to the end of a strap and having end portions inclined upwardly from-said central'portion, said central portion having a projecting nub intermediate the length thereof for preventing transverse movement of said frame relativeto the end of the strap, whereby'thread on said strap attaching portion is prevented from riding upwardly on said end portion, said slide having rearwardly extending projections thereon which are spaced apart by a distance greater than the width of said strap attaching portion and are positioned to strike the inclined end portions of said one frame cross-bar thereby to retain said slide within said frame for sliding movement along said shoulders while preventing said slide from strikingthread position on" the strap attaching portion of said one frame crossbar, one of said slide cross-bars having a strap engaging portion extending out of the plane of said slide for cooperation with another of said frame cross-bars to clamp in adjusted positions a strap threaded through said openings. I

2. A slide buckle comprising, a frame, a slide forcooperation with saidframe, said frame and said slide having side-bars and cross-bars defining strap receiving openings therethrough to receive a strap, said frame side-bars comprising side walls'extending rearwardly of the face of said frame and inwardly turned slide supporting shoulders extending therealong, one of said frame cross-bars having a strap attaching portion positioned substantially in the plane of said shoulders and end portions inclined upwardly from said strap attaching portion, whereby thread on" said strap attaching portion is prevented from riding upwardly onto said end portions, one of said slide cross-bars having a strap engaging;

portion extending out of the plane of said slide for cooperation with another of said frame crossbars to clamp in adjusted positions a strap thread ed through said openings, said slide having projections thereon extending rearwardly of said one slide cross bar which are spaced apart by a distance greater than the width of said strap attaching portion and are positioned to strike the inclined end portions of. said one frame crossbar, thereby to retain said slide within said frame for sliding movement along said shoulders while preventing said slide from striking thread positioned on'the strap attaching portion of said one frame cross-bar.

3. A slide buckle comprising, a frame, a slide for cooperation with said frame, said frame and said slide having side-bars and cross-bars defining strap receivingopenings therethrough to receive a strap, said frame side-bars comprising side walls extending rearwardly of the face of said frame and inwardly turned slide supporting shoulders extending therealong, one of said frame cross-bars having a strap attaching portion positioned substantially in the plane of said shoulders and end portions inclined upwardly from said strap attaching portion, whereby thread.

on said strap attaching portion is prevented from riding upwardly onto said end portions, said slide side-bars comprising edgewise'runners extending upwardly out of the plane of said slide, said slide having rearwardly extending side bar extensions terminating in upstanding ear portions oifsetinwardly relative to said side-bar runners and adapt'edto engage the inclined end portions of said one frame cross-bar, thereby to retain said slide within said frame for sliding' movement along said shoulders while preventing said slide from striking thread positioned on the strap attaching portion of said one frame cross-bar, one of said'slide cross-bars having a strap engaging portion extending out of the plane of said slide for cooperation with'another of said frame cross-bars to clamp in adjusted positions a strap threaded through said openings.

4. A'slide buckle comprising, a frame, a slide for cooperation with said frame, said frame and said slide having side-bars and cross-bars defining strap receiving openings therethrough to receive a strap, said frame side-bars comprising sidewalls extending rearwardly of the face of said frame and inwardly turned slide supporting shouldersextending therealong, one of said slide cross-bars having a, strap engaging portion ex-' tending out of the plane of said slide for cooperation with one of said frame cross-bars to clamp a strap therebetween, another of said frame cross-bars having a central strap attaching portion positioned substantially in the plane of said 

